of 1987.”31 This clemency was part of the Unity Accord between the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) and the Zimbabwe African Peoples’ Union (ZAPU), which led, in 1987, to the creation of ZANU- Patriotic Front. Those who benefitted from the clemency were mainly members of the state security forces involved in serious human rights violations. In October 2000, Mugabe issued Clemency Order No. 1 of 2000, which granted general amnesty for all political crimes, including torture and kidnappings committed by ZANU-PF supporters, youth militia and state security forces – exempting only rape, murder and fraud.32 Clemency Order No. 1 of 2008, issued in June 2008, covered those arrested between March 29 and June 16, 2008, from the day of the general elections to the eve of the presidential run-off. Among other things, it granted indemnity to all prisoners convicted of culpable homicide and given a determinate sentence as of June 16, 2008, 33 thus covering those who were convicted of acts such as torture and abductions, excluding murder, rape, and fraud. Most abuses committed by ZANU-PF supporters, officials and soldiers took place in the period between the general elections in March and the presidential run-off on June 17, 2008.34 However, as indicated in this report, there were few, if any, prosecutions for the serious crimes committed during this period. It is therefore highly unlikely that any of those involved in the pre and post election violence benefitted from this clemency. 31 Shari Eppel, “Gukurahundi: The need for truth and reparation,” in Brian Raftopolous and Tyrone Savage, eds., Zimbabwe: Justice and Political Reconcilliation, [Cape Town]: Institute for Justice and Reconcilliation, 2004).pp 45-46; See also Amnesty International, “The Toll of Impunity” AFR46/034/2002, June 25, 2002, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AFR46/034/2002 (accessed October 11, 2010). 32 Shari Eppel, Gukurahundi: The need for truth and reparation, pp.50 33 General Notice 85A/2008 - Clemency Order No. 1 of 2008. 34 Ibid. 25 Human Rights Watch | March 2011